QUITE A CHALLENGE TO RENEW MY PASSPORT ...

FOR the last five weeks or so, I have been visiting our Immigrations Office to renew my passport.

It expired in March and I need to get it ready before July.

(To do that, I had to wake up a bit early at 10am and get to the office before it closed at midday or 11.30am. Since I work at night and usually wake up at midday, it was a challenge – quite stressful - to wake up early without getting my normal 6 or more hours of sleep.)

The first time I went to the office, I noticed how slow the process was.

I had to wait for more than three hours to collect the application form.

Then I had to pay K100 (on another day) at the Finance Dept’s office (about 3km away) to get a receipt and attach that to my application.

Following that, I had to get passport size photos (2) and have them signed by a lawyer friend.

There were “agents” who could do the job of processing your passport for you – but I chose not to engage any. (Of course, you will have to pay them for the service.)

Then there was also the option of choosing the “fast service” provided by the office – but that would require me to pay K300 for that, not K100.

For fast service, it is said that you can get the passport done within a few days.

For the normal option, it can take up to a month or more.

PHOTOS NOT GOOD

The week later when I turned up with the pics (and waited for at least three hours), the lady serving said, my pics were not good – they were too dark.

So I had to get new pics from a particular pharmacy (Chemcare) because the lady said they would do a better job.

Last Friday, I sorted the pics out, my lawyer friend signed them on Monday and I turned up at the Immigrations Dept today at 11.00am.

Unlike the past days when I was there, the room was freer – there weren’t many people.

I was served at about 12.40pm.

And it was today that my application was okayed.

I was told to check at the end of the month.

MAIN POINT

I thought the hard experience was good for me.

I first got my passport in 2004 when I was shortlisted for a postgraduate scholarship programme.

But that was done by the people in the agency overseeing the scholarship programme. (I did not know the process.)

In 2009, while I was working in Nauru, my passport expired and I sent the passport down (via DHL express service) to the PNG High Commission in the Solomon Islands to renew it for me.

(I rang them earlier to confirm that they could do that for me. Incidentally, in that year Digicel came onto the island nation and mobile communication made it easy for me to ring them regularly to see that everything was in order. Normal landline service could be difficult there.)

The renewal task was done within a week but because of wrong information entered, my passport was sent down to Brisbane and remained there for a few days until we tracked it and the HC staff had to reroute it back up to Nauru.

Another Sports official and myself have said at the Immigrations Office that the government should upgrade the office because the country’s population was not the same as it was 20 years ago.

Today people travel in and out of the country as frequently as from one province to another.

NICE WEEKEND

Now that my application is lodged, I can now rest.

One burden is out of the way.  

In other words, I will have a lighter weekend and will now turn my attention to other stuff that has been on my mind.

I hope you all have a nice weekend too.

Cheers.

QUESTION: SHOULD SHE DO SCIENCE OR JOURNALISM?

HERE is another answer I gave to a question asked today.

QUESTION

My daughter is attending a high school that specializes in mathematics and science.  She is an excellent student in these subjects and she also enjoys writing and journalism.  What path would give her the best opportunities for making a positive and long lasting impact on humanity?

MY ANSWER
Encourage her to complete her Science studies while doing electives in writing (creative writing, media studies and even languages).

She may work towards getting a BSc degree in her best Science subject - while taking up electives in writing and languages (learning French, Spanish or Chinese).

After completing her BSc, she can do a postgraduate diploma or certificate in journalism.

I know she will easily find a job as a reporter or Science writer for a journal/magazine.

I am of the opinion that even with a BSc degree and her taking a few electives in writing/journalism/media studies/languages, she should be able to get a job without problems.

(If she wants to continue on to get an MA or PhD, that is up to her.)

She has to work hard on polishing her writing skills.

As I see it, those who write well learn the basics in that skill while they were at the primary school level. (The earlier, the better.)

There are articles and tasks in the news room (or reporting activities) that a Science graduate will do a better job explaining to the masses.

A while ago, a journalist colleague of mine discussed with me and another pal the concept of tsunamis.

As a Science graduate, I understood the Science of seismology and plate tectonics (the field under which tsunamis fall) better than him and saw his difficulty trying to get the technical aspects explained correctly. 

In short, encourage your daughter to continue with her Science studies but take up electives in writing/journalism/media studies/languages.     

PS. I am a Science graduate but I work for a paper.

QUESTION: HOW DO I BECOME A LOSER?

FOR the first time, I am posting in this blog a response I gave to someone who asked a question in a social network.

I will be doing that in the future to help people who may be struggling with similar challenges.

QUESTION: I have always tried doing stuff that'll make me successful, but end up doing the opposite. Thus, I decided to know how to become a loser, so I do the opposite of that.

MY ANSWER: 

QUESTION NOT APPROPRIATE?

I am looking at the question again and do not think it is appropriate – in the sense that you “think you are a loser” because you do not succeed in what you do (or plan to achieve).

In saying “what is it to become a loser”, you are approaching something with a negative mindset, which I think is not a good approach to take.

BETTER QUESTION

The better question would be “how can I succeed in what I do”.

Better yet, be specific in saying something like “how can I succeed in studying Maths”, or “how can I succeed in playing football”, or, “how can I succeed in playing the guitar”, or, “how can I succeed in making friends,” or, “how can I succeed in making money”.

BE SPECIFIC – WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SUCCEED IN?

Being specific helps you narrow down on specific tasks that you can do.

Note that “being a loser” in academics does not mean you are a loser in sports, or playing a musical instrument.

History tells us that there were those who were losers in academics (like dropping out) who now own multi-national companies and operate on millions of dollars.

I do not think you are a loser, if you think you are – because you can write, as in posting a question in this social network where people can help you with suggestions. (Not many people can do that – I mean write good English and try to better themselves by getting suggestions/tips from others. They may be “losers” in a sense.)

I suggest, you be specific in your goals – or better yet, pick one and work on it, with help given by others. Be committed to it – and attend to tasks not with a “loser’s mentality” but a “winner’s mindset”.

TAKE PLAYING THE GUITAR … BE COMMITTED

Take playing the guitar, for example – that is, if you love guitar music and want to reproduce the sounds that you enjoy listening to.

If you want to play it that well, you will have spend one hour a day for practice – possibly every other day, and any free time you have.

If you can commit yourself wholeheartedly and fall in love with what you are doing, I am sure in less than a year, people will comment on your skills.

As far as I am concerned, many other things/skills in life are learned in that way – be committed to the task, and do not be afraid if you are the only person learning those skills.

It is your life and your desire so give the time to master the skills.    

SUCCESS IN ONE FIELD CAN FLOW INTO OTHER AREAS

If you work on an area/skill to the point that you are quite good at that, the effect can positively influence your performance/progress in other fields.

If you are naturally shy but then take part in a school play, the experience can cause you to come out of your shell and “succeed” in communicating easily with others, as well as making friends.

Students who are good with their writing skills can major in English and then later work as journalists – and in years to come write novels.

If one of those books becomes a bestseller, the journalist may quit working and starting to write full time, as well as using the money to start a business where s/he sells things that s/he loves e.g. food, electronic devices, etc.

If a movie producer likes the story of the bestseller and wants to make a movie based on the book, the author can help write the screenplay.

And the “success” continues to flow on and on.  

DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF WITH OTHERS

Here is another point: Do not compare yourself with any person around you. When you do that, you will always see yourself as the guy who is not good, possibly “the loser” – and that may hinder your progress in bettering your skills. Go at your own pace. Be honest, be true and enjoy what you do.

If you love what you are doing, people will come to love what you produce – music, art, writing or creating apps.

I wish you well – “winner to be”.

A BIT MORE ON THE GIRL'S DEATH ...

ANOTHER week is starting tomorrow.

I wish you the best.

My mind is still on the teenage girl who was killed last month.

I was informed this afternoon that the girl who was killed (as per last week’s post) sneaked out of her home to visit a friend.

The two then met up with students from other schools and they went off to party on a hill in a deserted part outside the city.

When she did not turn up in the evening, the relatives, including her parents, went out looking for her.

They could not go into that part of the city because it was a dangerous area, known for violence and other crimes.

They tried getting help from different people but their attempts were in vain.

The next day they were informed that the girl was assaulted and killed by unknown men.